Garrison, Texas angler Larry Mosby landed the second ShareLunker of the 2017 season on Feb. 28 when he pulled a 13.06-pound bass from Lake Naconiche near Nacogdoches.
Known as ShareLunker #567, the largemouth is the new lake record on the 692-acre Naconiche.
Incidentally, the Mosby bass is also the first ShareLunker from the lake, although there was a near miss three years ago.
Lynn Burkhead, Herald Democrat noted the near-miss fish, a 12.54 pound bass, was caught in 2013. That particular bass was also found to be the offspring of ShareLunker #370, a largemouth submitted to the SL program from Lake Fork in 2000.
Todd Driscoll, a TPWD Inland Fisheries biologist said that in 2009 Lake Naconiche was impounded. Since then TPWD used every tool in their toolbox to maximize the trophy potential in that reservoir.Since 2009, the reservoir has been stocked with approximately 380,000 Florida largemouth bass, 100,000 ShareLunker offspring fingerlings and more than 700 retired hatchery brood fish ranging from 3 to 7-pounds.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Inland Fisheries staff stock Florida largemouth bass in the reservoir every year to improve the genetic potential of the fish to reach trophy size, and in 2016 implemented a 16-inch maximum length limit for anglers to make sure the bass get old enough to reach trophy size. Driscoll also credits the “new lake effect” for the impressive abundance and growth of the bass in the relatively young reservoir.
“The ‘new lake effect’ results in very productive conditions in the reservoir — high forage abundance, ample aquatic vegetation, timber and good habitat — which promotes increased reproduction of fish and fast growth rates,” Driscoll said.
ShareLunker 567 is now in that same “lunker bunker” at the TFFC to prepare for spawning. A fin clip will be sent to a lab at the A.E. Wood Laboratory in San Marcos, where biologists will use genetic analysis to determine whether she is a regular Florida largemouth bass or one of the ShareLunker fingerlings or retired hatchery brood fish that were also stocked in the reservoir.
Photos: 13.06 pounds, length 25 inches, girth 21 inches, Bait/Lure: Jig
